Artificial limb.



J. E. HANGER, JR.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB. I

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 19 13.

Patented July 21, 1914.

3444; 04: JameJ lfHangqzJn James E. HANGER, JR, or sir. hours, milssoonr.

, ARTIFICIAL LnviB.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMns E. HANGER, J r.,

a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Artificial Limbs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to artificial legs, and;

pertains more particularly to harness for operating forwardly and lifting the lower leg.

The objectv of my invention is to produce a harness to be operated by the shoulders of the wearer attached to the thigh portion of an artificial leg and connected with the lower-leg portion below the knee joint for lifting and moving forward the lower leg in walking.

Another object thereof is to provide fiexible and elastic strips attached at their lower ends to the opposite sides of the thigh portion of an artificial leg and suitably con nected with shoulder suspenders, and a flexible loop attached at its opposite ends to the elastic strips and loosely attached intermediate thereof to the fore part of the lowerleg section, whereby a constant and yielding support and leverage is applied, and a still further object of my invention is to produce a more simple, cheap and eflicient artificiallimlo suspender than has heretofore been accomplished.

To these ends, my invention includes the combination and arrangement of component parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the thigh section of an artificial limb having a stump socket 2 therein, and 3 designates the lower-leg section. Said sections are suitably pivoted atato form a knee joint. On each side of said thigh section and approximately vertically above the pivot point of the knee-joint, I attach the flexible and elastic strips 5 and 5, said strips being secured at their lower ends to the thigh section while the upper ends 5 are free and unattached. On the upper free ends of said strips are secured the sheaves 6 and 6 through which the shoulder straps 7 and 7 are run. At the front of the lower-leg section and slightly below the knee joint is se- Sp'eci'fication of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 2, 1913. Serial NO. 776,988.

Patented July 21, 1914.

cured the tab 8 having the eyelets a therein through which the strap 9 is looped, as hereinafter described. Said strap 9 is attachedat its opposite ends to the upper ends of the elastic strips 5 and 5, and looped, as before stated, through the tab 8 below the knee-joint, and-is of such length that when the strips 5 and 5 are normally extended, the strap is held without slack.

The shoulder straps 7 and 7 may be ad justed by the buckle 10 to be comfortably worn over the shoulders of the wearer, and may be run through guide loops 11 on the sides of the thigh portion of the leg to secure the leg on the stump of the wearer, and to operate the action of the knee joint.

In operation, when the leg is straight and the knee unbent, the normal tension of the shoulder straps and the elastic strips bearing on the front of the lower-leg section in front the knee joint tends to hold the leg on the stump and prevent buckling of the knee joint. In walking, the weight of the body is thrown forward of the knee joint as the other leg is advanced, and for the purpose of lifting and advancing the artificial leg, the shoulders are lifted which extends the shoulder straps and stretches the elastic strips, which tugs the looped strap 9 and draws the lower leg section forward on its knee pivot; and it will be appreciated that the yielding tension of the elastic strips, together with the direct connection between the same and the pivoted member facilitates the operation of the lower section, and renders the wearing of the artificial leg more comfortable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In an artificial leg, the combination with a thigh section and a lower-leg section pivot-allyjointed thereto, of an elastic strip attached at its lower end to said thigh section on both sides thereof, a strap attached at its opposite ends at approximately the upper ends of said elastic strip and attached intermediate its ends to the fore part of the lower-leg section, and shoulder straps slidably connected with said elastic strips above said looped strap, all adapted to swing the lower-leg section forward oii the joint.

2. In an artificial leg, the combination with a thigh section and a lower-leg section pivotally jointed thereto, of an elastic strip attached at its lower end to said thigh section on both sides thereof, a strap attached at its opposite ends at approximately the upper ends of said elastic strip and loosely attached intermediate its ends to the fore part of the lower leg section, sheaves car ried on the free ends of said elastic strip, and shoulder straps passing through said sheaves, all adapted to swing the lower leg section forward on the joint, substantially as described.

3. In an artificial leg, the combination with a thigh section and a lower-leg section pivotally jointed thereto, of an elastic strip attached at its lower end to said thigh section on both sides thereof, a strap attached 5' at its opposite ends at approximately the .upper ends of said ela'Stiestrip and loosely attached intermediate its ends to the fore part of'the lower leg section, and shoulder straps slidably connected with said elastic 20 JAMES E. HANGER, JR.

lVitnesses 2' W. J. FINLEY, R. H. YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. G. 

